The relationship between health spending and infant mortality in ASEAN countries reveals important insights about healthcare efficiency and outcomes:

1. Initial Observations (1995):
   • Higher health spending did not always correlate with lower infant mortality
   • Cambodia had the highest health spending as % of GDP, but also one of the highest infant mortality rates
   • Singapore had moderate health spending with the lowest infant mortality
   • This suggests differences in healthcare system efficiency and resource allocation
2. Changes Over Time (1995-2010):
   • All countries improved infant mortality rates regardless of spending changes
   • Malaysia increased health spending substantially (51%) and reduced infant mortality by 40%
   • Cambodia reduced health spending but achieved the greatest reduction in infant mortality (57%)
   • This highlights the importance of effective healthcare interventions and policy over mere spending levels
3. Efficiency Analysis:
   • The efficiency metric (calculated as the inverse of infant mortality divided by health spending) shows dramatic improvements across the region
   • Cambodia achieved the highest efficiency improvement despite reducing spending
   • This suggests significant improvements in healthcare delivery systems, disease prevention programs, and maternal/child health interventions
   • The data indicates that both the amount of healthcare spending and how effectively resources are utilized matter greatly
4. Regional Convergence:
   • The gap between highest and lowest infant mortality rates narrowed significantly
   • In 1995: highest (Cambodia: 86.6) vs lowest (Singapore: 4.0) - a difference of 82.6
   • In 2010: highest (Myanmar: 48.5) vs lowest (Singapore: 2.2) - a difference of 46.3
   • Indicates overall regional progress toward better healthcare outcomes

Learn more about the Gapminder dataset at https://www.gapminder.org/data/documentation/

This dashboard presents an analysis of healthcare indicators across ASEAN countries from 1995 to 2010, focusing on two key metrics:

1. Total Health Spending (% of GDP): This indicator measures the proportion of a country’s GDP allocated to healthcare, reflecting national priorities and investment in health systems.

2. Infant Mortality Rate (per 1,000 live births): A critical indicator of population health and healthcare quality, representing the number of deaths of infants under one year old per 1,000 live births.

The data is sourced from Gapminder’s global development indicators database, which compiles information from various international organizations including WHO, World Bank, and UN agencies.

This analysis covers 8 of the 10 ASEAN countries (Brunei Darussalam and Lao PDR were not included due to data limitations) and examines both the absolute values and the changes over the 15-year period.

The dashboard is designed to highlight: - Regional trends in health spending and outcomes - ASEAN Countries-specific progress and challenges - The relationship between financial investment and health outcomes - Patterns of healthcare development across Southeast Asia